iOS 7 Might Be Apple's Most Secure Mobile OS Ever

Yes, yes, the iPhone 5s has a fingerprint reader, but its operating system—iOS 7—has even more goodies for the security-minded person.

On September 18, Apple will unleash a totally redesigned operating system for iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone. Called iOS 7, the forthcoming update has received a lot of attention for its radical new look, but it's also packed to the gills with security features. So much so that it might just be the most secure iOS to date.

But devices running iOS 7 won't automatically trust connected computers. Instead, you'll be prompted to trust a connected computer or simply ignore it. We'll have to see if this stops Mactans-style attacks completely, but it's a big step in the right direction.

Passwords and TheftOne feature I've been excited about in iOS 7 is iCloud Keychain. This takes all the password information stored in the OS X Keychain app and makes it available across devices. Hopefully Apple will allow mobile users to generate passwords, in addition to saving them as well. Though it's not cross platform, it will hopefully encourage better password habits for Apple users.

Loss and theft are the biggest threats to iPhones, and while the Touch ID fingerprint reader may help guard your phone it won't help get it back. To that end, Apple has updated their excellent Find My iPhone anti-theft tool. Previously, you could locate, message, wipe, and sound an alarm on a lost device. But with iOS 7, wiped phones will require your Apple ID and password to be unlocked, so your phone will always be your phone.

Call Blocking and Privacy Many third-party Android security apps include call and message blocking, but Apple will be baking the feature into iOS 7. From either the Messages or FaceTime settings menu, you can block any contact from calling, messaging, or FaceTiming with you. This feature appears to be limited to contacts, however, making it problematic for blocking SMS spam.

iOS 7 will also sport new privacy controls, including a special advertiser ID number that users can revoke or reset at will. This way, advertisers can still harvest some data on users, but they won't touch important stuff (like your device ID or phone number) and you will be in control of what they get and when.

iOS 7 Delivers Apple typically stays tight-lipped about security, but it's been a major talking point in the announcement of OS X Mavericks, iOS 7, and the iPhone 5s. While I'm not sure if this indicates major changes within Apple, I do think it shows how interested consumers are in digital security. Whatever the reason, Apple users will soon have more security and privacy features than ever before.

Max Eddy is a Software Analyst, taking a critical eye to Android apps and security services. He's also PCMag's foremost authority on weather stations and digital scrapbooking software. When not polishing his tinfoil hat or plumbing the depths of the Dark Web, he can be found working to discern the 100 Best Android Apps.
Prior to PCMag, Max wrote for the International Digital Times, The International Science Times, and The Mary Sue. He has also been known to write for Geek.com. You can follow him on...
More »